Robotic cosmetic mix bar

Abstract

Improving health and experience of a cosmetic product user, the robotic cosmetic mix bar of the present invention is disclosed. The robotic cosmetic mix bar allows the user to select safe ingredients tailored to their own unique hair and skincare goals. In one embodiment, the robotic cosmetic mix bar contains a robotic arm surrounded by a dispenser and multiple processing stations. Based on a user input indicating a type of cosmetic product and the ingredients to include in the cosmetic product, the robotic arm obtains the desired ingredients from the dispenser and, by transporting the ingredients from one processing station to another, the robotic arm facilitates the processing of the ingredients. The processing of ingredients can include boiling, cooling, mixing, whisking, blending, etc. Within approximately two minutes, the cosmetic product built according to the user specifications is delivered to the user.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system to create a custom personal care product, the system comprising:
 a plurality of dispensers containing a plurality of ingredients, 
 wherein a combination of the plurality of ingredients is combinable to form the personal care product, and wherein at least one of the plurality of ingredients contained in the plurality of dispensers is a cosmetic-safe ingredient; 
 a computer processor configured to receive a user input indicating the custom personal care product and one or more selected ingredients contained in the plurality of dispensers associated with the custom personal care product, and to translate the user input into a plurality of actions to be performed by a robot and a plurality of processing stations; 
 a dispenser of the plurality of dispensers to dispense the one or more selected ingredients; 
 the robot comprising a joint and a gripping member rotatably coupled to the joint, the gripping member to hold a container and to position the container to receive the one or more selected ingredients from the dispenser, the robot to deliver the one or more selected ingredients to a processing station in the plurality of processing stations; and 
 the plurality of processing stations arranged around the robot, the plurality of processing stations comprising:
 a boiling station to warm the container; 
 a mixing station to mix the one or more selected ingredients; 
 a whisking station to whisk the one or more selected ingredients; 
 a refrigerator to cool the one or more selected ingredients; and 
 a cleaning station to clean the container of the one or more selected ingredients. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 the computer processor, based on the custom personal care product, to select a predetermined scenario from a plurality of predetermined scenarios to be performed by the robot, the dispenser, and the processing station, wherein the plurality of predetermined scenarios can be modified by the user input. 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 the container comprising a grip slot enabling the gripping member of the robot to hold the container. 
 
     
     
       4. A system for producing a personal care product, comprising:
 a plurality of dispensers containing a plurality of ingredients, 
 wherein a combination of the plurality of ingredients is combinable to form the personal care product, and wherein at least one of the plurality of ingredients contained in a dispenser of the plurality of dispensers is a cosmetic-safe ingredient; 
 a processor configured to receive an input from a user comprising the personal care product and one or more selected ingredients contained in the plurality of dispensers, and based on the personal care product select a predetermined set of actions to be performed by an automatically-operated member, the plurality of dispensers, and a processing station, 
 the automatically-operated member comprising a first joint and a gripping member movably coupled to the first joint, the gripping member to hold a container and to position the container to receive the one or more selected ingredients from the plurality of dispensers, the automatically-operated member to deliver the one or more selected ingredients to the processing station; 
 the processing station upon receiving the one or more selected ingredients to process the one or more selected ingredients to produce the personal care product, the processing station including a whisking station; and 
 the automatically-operated member to retrieve the personal care product and to deliver the personal care product to a delivery station. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , comprising:
 a computer processor to receive a user input indicating a desired personal care product and the one or more selected ingredients associated with the desired personal care product, and to translate the user input into a plurality of actions to be performed by the automatically-operated member. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , comprising:
 the computer processor, based on the desired personal care product, to select a predetermined scenario from a plurality of predetermined scenarios to be performed by the automatically-operated member, the dispenser, and the processing station, wherein the plurality of predetermined scenarios can be modified by the user input. 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 4 , comprising:
 the container comprising a grip slot enabling the gripping member of the automatically-operated member to hold the container. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , the grip slot comprising a first magnet, the gripping member comprising a second magnet attracted to the first magnet. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 4 , the automatically-operated member comprising a second joint rotatably coupled to the first joint and the gripping member, the second joint to rotate the first joint and the gripping member between the dispenser, the processing station and the delivery station. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 4 , the dispenser, the processing station and the delivery station arranged in a substantially circular path around the automatically-operated member. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 4 , the processing station comprising a mixing station configured to blend or stir the one or more selected ingredients. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 4 , the processing station comprising a multipurpose station comprising a plurality of switchable members, wherein a switchable member in the plurality of switchable members is configured to blend, whisk, or stir the one or more selected ingredients. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 4 , comprising:
 the processing station comprising a first sensor to detect a proximity of the automatically-operated member, and upon detecting the proximity of the automatically-operated member to process the one or more selected ingredients; and 
 the dispenser comprising a second sensor to detect the proximity of the automatically-operated member, and upon detecting the proximity of the automatically-operated member to dispense the one or more selected ingredients. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 4 , the processing station comprising a temperature control station or a washing station. 
     
     
       15. A method comprising:
 receiving an input from a user comprising a personal care product and one or more ingredients to include in the personal care product, 
 wherein the one or more ingredients are included in a plurality of dispensers, wherein a combination of a plurality of the one or more ingredients is combinable to form the personal care product, and wherein at least one of the one or more ingredients contained in a dispenser of the plurality of dispensers is a cosmetic-safe ingredient; 
 based on the personal care product, selecting a predetermined set of actions to be performed by a plurality of articulated members comprising an automatically-operated member, the plurality of dispensers, and a processing station that includes a whisking station, the predetermined set of actions comprising an ordered sequence of actions and a variable input configured to receive the one or more ingredients, 
 wherein the automatically-operated member comprises a first joint and a gripping member movably coupled to the first joint, the gripping member to hold a container and to position the container to receive the one or more ingredients from the plurality of dispensers, the automatically-operated member to deliver the one or more ingredients to the processing station; and 
 performing the predetermined set of actions, including: 
 receiving, by the processing station, the one or more ingredients to process the one or more ingredients to produce the personal care product; 
 retrieving, by the automatically-operated member, the personal care product; and 
 delivering the personal care product to a delivery station. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , said performing the predetermined set of actions comprising:
 synchronizing the ordered sequence of actions performed by the plurality of articulated members by completing an action assigned to a first articulated member in the plurality of articulated members and sending a signal to a second articulated member in the plurality of articulated members to perform a subsequent action. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , comprising:
 sensing that a first articulated member in the plurality of articulated members is stationary in a proximity to a second articulated member in the plurality of articulated members; 
 receiving by the second articulated member a second action in the predetermined set of actions, the second action guarded by a precondition that the first articulated member completed a first action; and 
 performing the second action. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , comprising:
 receiving an indication from a first articulated member in the plurality of articulated members that a first action has been completed by the first articulated member; 
 determining a second action in the ordered sequence of actions and a second articulated member associated with the second action, wherein the second action is subsequent to the first action; and 
 sending a signal to the second articulated member to perform the second action. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , the processing station comprising a boiling station and a mixing station, the method comprising:
 grabbing, by the automatically-operated member, a first container; 
 obtaining from the plurality of dispensers the one or more ingredients into the first container; 
 when at least one of the one or more ingredients is a solid ingredient, transporting, by the automatically-operated member, the solid ingredient to the boiling station; 
 transporting, by the automatically-operated member, the one or more ingredients to the mixing station; 
 mixing the one or more ingredients by the mixing station to obtain a mixture; 
 transporting, by the automatically-operated member, the mixture to a container storage station; 
 obtaining a second container from the container storage station; 
 pouring, by the automatically-operated member, the mixture into the second container; 
 delivering the second container to the delivery station for the user to pick up; and 
 cleaning the first container. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , the processing station comprising a boiling station, the method comprising:
 grabbing, by the automatically-operated member, a first container; 
 obtaining from the plurality of dispensers the one or more ingredients including a butter into the first container; 
 transporting, by the automatically-operated member, the first container to the boiling station; 
 boiling, by the boiling station, the one or more ingredients to obtain a melt; 
 obtaining from the plurality of dispensers the one or more ingredients excluding the butter into the first container by transporting, by the automatically-operated member, the melt to the plurality of dispensers and releasing from the plurality of dispensers the one or more ingredients excluding the butter to obtain full ingredients; 
 whisking the full ingredients by transporting, by the automatically-operated member, the full ingredients to the whisking station and whisking the full ingredients to obtain whisked ingredients; 
 transporting, by the automatically-operated member, the whisked ingredients to a container storage station; 
 obtaining a second container from the container storage station; 
 pouring, by the automatically-operated member, the whisked ingredients into the second container; 
 delivering the second container to the delivery station for the user to pick up; and 
 cleaning the first container. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 15 , the processing station comprising a boiling station and a mixing station, the method comprising:
 grabbing, by the automatically-operated member, a first container; 
 obtaining from the plurality of dispensers the one or more ingredients including a butter into the first container; 
 transporting, by the automatically-operated member, the first container to the boiling station; 
 boiling, by the boiling station, the one or more ingredients to obtain a melt; 
 obtaining from the plurality of dispensers the one or more ingredients including an oil, a sugar, or a salt into the first container by transporting, by the automatically-operated member, the melt to the plurality of dispensers and releasing from the plurality of dispensers the one or more ingredients including the oil, the sugar or the salt to obtain full ingredients; 
 mixing the full ingredients by transporting, by the automatically-operated member, the full ingredients to the mixing station and whisking the full ingredients to obtain mixed ingredients; 
 delivering the mixed ingredients to the user by transporting, by the automatically-operated member, the mixed ingredients to a container storage station, obtaining a second container from the container storage station, pouring, by the automatically-operated member, the mixed ingredients into the second container, and delivering the second container to the delivery station; and 
 cleaning the first container. 
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 15 , the processing station comprising a boiling station, a refrigerator and a whipping station, the method comprising:
 grabbing, by the automatically-operated member, a first container; 
 obtaining from the plurality of dispensers the one or more ingredients including a butter into the first container; 
 transporting, by the automatically-operated member, the first container to the boiling station; 
 boiling, by the boiling station, the one or more ingredients to obtain a melt; 
 transporting, by the automatically-operated member, the melt to the refrigerator for a predetermined amount of time to obtain hardened ingredients; 
 whipping the hardened ingredients by transporting, by the automatically-operated member, the hardened ingredients to the whipping station and whipping the hardened ingredients to obtain a frosting; 
 delivering the frosting to the user by transporting, by the automatically-operated member, the frosting to a container storage station, obtaining a second container from the container storage station, pouring, by the automatically-operated member, the frosting into the second container, and delivering the second container to the delivery station; and cleaning the first container.